News Releases

JEFFERSON CITY - The new competitive bidding process championed by Gov. Jay Nixon has been used by the Missouri Department of Revenue to select five additional agents for local motor vehicle license offices.

The offices awarded today are in Brookfield, Clinton, Kansas City, Potosi and Springfield, and brings to 53 the total number of offices awarded under the new system.

The Brookfield License Office has been awarded to Heidi L. Martin of Brookfield. She has been the incumbent agent and manager since 2005. The office will remain at 306 N. Main.

Connie S. Rogers of Warsaw, doing business as Tri-Lake Enterprises, LLC, has been awarded the right to be the new agent at the Clinton office. Ms. Rogers has previous experience as the Warsaw office agent and operates a business in Clinton. The office will stay at its current location of 702 E. Ohio, Suite 4.

The Kansas City License Office has been awarded to DTC-DMV, Inc., which is associated with the incumbent agent, the Downtown Council of Kansas City. The council has been the agent since 2005, and the office will remain at its current location at the Fletcher Daniels State Office Building, 615 E. 13th St., Suite 111.

Kathleen Marler of Potosi, the incumbent agent since 2007, is the continuing agent for the Potosi License Office. The office will remain at 219 E. High.

Alternative Opportunities, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation of Springfield, has been named as the new agent for the Springfield (Downtown) License Office. The office will stay at its current location in the Landers State Office Building, 149 Park Central Square, Room 252.

Details about changes in office operations, if any, will be announced by the agents.

The new comprehensive bidding process was implemented when Gov. Nixon took office on Jan. 12. Every single license office in the state either has been or will be awarded to people or groups who submit competitive proposals. The Clinton and Springfield offices both received two bids, and the Brookfield, Kansas City and Potosi offices all received one bid.

The professional, competitive system has also been put into state law so that the process will be used in the future, no matter what administration is charge. This change was the result of legislation supported by Gov. Nixon and approved by bipartisan majorities in the Missouri Legislature this past spring.

"Anyone can submit a proposal to run a license office, and their good ideas will now be considered," he said. "Current office agents are not turned away from developing good proposals to keep their offices, and new bidders with fresh ideas are also encouraged to compete to run these offices. Under the new system, politics is irrelevant, and accountability and excellence in service are paramount."

Alana M. Barragán-Scott, acting director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, said the bidding process has progressed well.

"The quality of the bids has been impressive," she said. "The proposals show that the bidders are putting a lot of thought into how office efficiency and customer service can be improved, and the customers will be the ultimate winners from the competition."

Some winning bidders have chosen to return part of their estimated office revenues to the state. The Brookfield License Office will return 1.5 percent ($1,336) of its first-year revenues, Clinton will return 1 percent ($1,405), Potosi will return 1.5 percent ($1,732) and Springfield will return 6 percent ($14,541). The Kansas City bid did not include a return to the state. The cumulative amount of estimated funds that will be returned to the state in the first contract year from the 53 license offices that have been awarded so far is $363,615.

"The willingness of agents to return some of their revenues is a great cost-efficiency measure for the state, and the amount returned to the state will undoubtedly grow as more bids are awarded," Barragán-Scott said. "This money will be able to be used for a variety of vital state services."

All local license offices provide services that are overseen by the Missouri Department of Revenue, but each office is operated by an independent contractor. Transactions that are conducted at these offices include the issuance and renewal of driver licenses, applying for titles for motor vehicles, and the issuance and renewal of registration for motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors.

Additional information on the bids will be posted by the Missouri Office of Administration within the next few days.